


marked grave

by daisy_chains



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Child Death, Druid Massacre, Gen, Non-graphic description of violence, Nothing violent actually happens in the story, Telepathic Communication, druid camp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 12:42:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14332704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisy_chains/pseuds/daisy_chains
Summary: They were out on a patrol when it happened. Everything was going on as usual, Arthur and Merlin insulting each other, Gwaine telling a story about a furious brother defending his sister’s honor from Gwaine, Lancelot sending Merlin an amused look as a strong gust of wind messed up the loud knight’s hair, much to the amusement of the others.But it happened, nonetheless.





	marked grave

They were out on a patrol when it happened. Everything was going on as usual, Arthur and Merlin insulting each other, Gwaine telling a story about a furious brother defending his sister’s honor from Gwaine, Lancelot sending Merlin an amused look as a strong gust of wind messed up the loud knight’s hair, much to the amusement of the others. 

But it happened, nonetheless. Just a whisper in Merlin’s mind that cut off the retort he was responding to Arthur with.

‘ _Help, please_.’ 

His head snapped to his left, where he knew the voice had come from. Distantly, he heard Arthur call his name, but he was too focused on listening for the voice, afraid he would miss it, to care. The more he focused, the more Merlin could hear. Really, the warlock couldn’t understand how he had missed it before. Cries of dying druids made the boy feel sick.

‘ _Please…_ ’ While the other voices faded, dying, dying, dead, this one wasn’t ready for death yet. ‘ _I don’t want to die_.’

Merlin drew his horse to a halt and dismounted, vaguely realizing that he was speaking.

“Something very bad has happened,” the servant muttered, then he made his way towards the only remaining voice.

‘ _I’m scared_ ,’ it said. No, a _he_. A young he, a child, Merlin realized. Just a young boy slowly dying, scared and alone. Merlin quickened his pace.

“Merlin!” Arthur called from behind him, “where are you going?”

In response, the servant simply shook his head. They were close. A few long minutes later, Merlin came to a sudden stop. Elyan, who had been walking behind the raven-haired man, ran into his back, but Merlin barely noticed.

All around, there were dead bodies, left to rot by whoever had slaughtered the peaceful people. There was a quiet whimper that drew Merlin’s attention to his left, and Merlin spotted the boy. He was small, couldn’t be more than seven summers old, with shaggy brown hair and bright green eyes that were locked onto Merlin’s own. If anyone ever asked, Merlin would never deny the fact that he ran to the young boy’s side and with one hand held one of the boy’s own while using the other to run his fingers through the young druid’s hair, just as his mother had done for Merlin when he was sick.

The two stayed as they were for a few short minutes before the boy whispered an almost inaudible “thank you,” and then he was gone. Merlin, still gripping the boy’s hand, turned to Arthur.

“I’m giving him a marked grave,” the warlock growled, his watery glare daring the Prince to object. 

Arthur merely nodded his agreement.

**Author's Note:**

> I was watching 4x10: A Herald of the New Age and felt inspired to write this.


End file.
